Apparatus for filling and packing pre-formed conical cigarette wrappers

ABSTRACT

A one-at-a-time cigarette forming device, including a hollow truncated conical wrapper holder having a top end and a bottom end and a conically shaped hollow interior tapering from the top end to the bottom end. The top and bottom ends are open. An elongate plunger or tamper shaft having a tamper head on a lower end and sized to insert fully into the wrapper holder&#39;s hollow interior is coupled to a cap and stored inside the wrapper holder when not in use.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/250,901 filed Nov. 4, 2015 (Nov. 4, 2015), which application is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

THE NAMES OR PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to apparatus for manually forming cigarettes, cigarillos, and the like, and more particularly to apparatus for packing a preformed conical paper wrapper with smoking materials, and still more particularly to a combination conical paper holder having a nested removable smoking product tamper that cooperate to provide a complete tool for forming a perfect cigarette from a preformed conical paper wrapper.

Background Discussion

Hand rolling cigarettes is a well-known practice, though it may be much more accurate to characterize it as an art. Well-made hand-rolled cigarettes require a considerable degree of skill and dexterity. Most hand-rolled cigarettes rarely embody the elegant symmetry of mass manufactured smoking products, and their appearance is not the only thing that suffers; the smoking experience itself can be compromised, particularly because smoking material may be compacted in varying degrees within the paper wrapper column along its length, thus creating a tobacco rod of uneven density, and thereby adversely affecting burn rates and temperatures. That, in turn, can adversely affect the smoke flavors and result in the generation of unwanted combustion byproducts during the material burn. Accordingly, there exists a need for an apparatus and method for producing a balanced and consistently packed tobacco fill in the cigarette paper column by those who wish to smoke exotic or high quality tobaccos or custom tobacco blends, or other smoking materials purchased in bulk, or merely to enjoy other smoking materials not made available in cigarettes mass produced using factory manufacturing techniques.

Moreover, there exists a need for such an apparatus that can be carried about on one's person with minimal inconvenience or bulk.

Prior art devices may meet one or the other of the above-indicated objectives, but not both.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In embodiments, in their most essential aspect, the present invention includes at least one hollow truncated conical wrapper holder having a top end and a bottom end and a conically shaped hollow interior tapering from the top end to the bottom end. Each of the top and bottom ends are open. An elongate plunger or tamper shaft having a tamper head on a lower end and sized to insert fully into the wrapper holder's hollow interior is coupled to a cap and stored inside the wrapper holder when not in use.

Using a pinch-and-pack forming technique for one-at-a-time cigarette making, the above-referenced device is provided, and the cap and tamper shaft are removed from the wrapper holder. The user places a pre-formed conical cigarette wrapper inside the conical wrapper holder such that the closed bottom end of the wrapper is inserted through the opening at the bottom end of the wrapper holder. A quantity of smoking product is placed in the open upper end of the conical cigarette wrapper so as to partially fill the wrapper, and the tamper is inserting into the upper end of the wrapper. The user then tamps the smoking material to compact it within the wrapper to a desired density and compaction. These pinch-and-pack steps are repeated until a desired level of fill and compaction are achieved. The nearly formed cigarette is then removed from the wrapper holder, and the unfilled paper end is twisted so as to form a closure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be understood, and its various objects and advantages will be made clear, when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view showing the combined tools comprising the inventive pre-formed cone wrapper filling and packing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded side view in elevation thereof;

FIG. 3 is an exploded side view in elevation showing the essential method steps involved in using the filling and packing apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a side view in elevation showing the apparatus in the packing phase of use;

FIG. 5 shows a conically shaped wrapper filled and packed with smoking product and completed with a twisted un upper (outer) end;

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view in elevation of a possible package providing multiple filling and packing apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view showing a tray configuration for holding a plurality of pre-formed cone wrappers for filling and packing 20 cigarettes; and

FIG. 8 is a side view in elevation thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring first to FIGS. 1 through 5, wherein like reference numerals refer to like components in the various views, there is illustrated therein embodiments of a novel apparatus for filling and packing preformed conical cigarette wrappers with smoking material. An embodiment of the apparatus is generally denominated 10 herein.

FIG. 1 shows that in an embodiment of the invention there are included a hollow truncated conical wrapper holder 12 and a cap 14. The wrapper holder interior is a conical chamber that tapers inwardly from its top end 16 to its bottom end 18, and in an embodiment may do so also exteriorly. However, the exterior shape or configuration of the wrapper holder may be cylindrical, round, or polygonal, the exterior shape being incidental to its function. The wrapper holder 12 includes an opening 20 at its bottom end coincident with the interior chamber bottom end so as to permit the passage of the pointed (closed) end 22 of a preformed conical paper cigarette wrapper 24. The opening 20 at the bottom end enables a user to push (i.e., push up) the pointed end of the conical wrapper of a conically formed cigarette paper (filled, formed, and packed as a cigarette) so as to dislodge it from the wrapper holder 12, thus facilitating easy removal of the finished product without spilling any of the filler material during removal.

In an embodiment, the top end 16 of the conical wrapper holder is coincident with the interior chamber top end and includes a female recess 26 that accommodates and mates with a male neck 28 of the cap 14, either through complementary threading on the interior side 30 of the recess and the exterior side 32 of the neck or with sizing for a snug press fit. The cap further includes a throughhole 34 for attachment to a key chain, bracelet, or lanyard.

The conical wrapper holder includes a longitudinally oriented window 36 that allows for viewing a wrapper disposed in the wrapper holder.

The cap 14 also includes an elongate plunger shaft or tamper shaft 38 extending downwardly from the male neck portion, the shaft either removably press fit or screwed into a hole in the cap or permanently affixed. A plunger/tamper head 40 is disposed on the lower end of the plunger shaft, preferably as an integral expansion of the shaft lower end. When the cap and temper shaft are inserted into the conical wrapper holder interior chamber and the male neck of the cap either screwed into or pressed into the top of the wrapper holder, the tamper shaft extends substantially to the bottom of the interior chamber.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 3, in use the cap 14 and attached plunger 38/40 are removed from the conical wrapper holder 12, and a pre-formed conical cigarette wrapper 24 is placed inside the conical wrapper holder such that its closed (pointed) end 22 is disposed through the bottom hole 20 of the conical wrapper holder 12. The conical wrapper may be purchased preformed and ready for use, or it may be formed from a conventional flat wrapper paper with an adhesive edge.

The open upper end 42 of the paper wrapper 24 is filled or partially filled with smoking material 44. The user then grasps the cap 14 in his/her fingers and inserts the tamper head 40 into the upper end of the wrapper. Using a reciprocating motion he/she then tamps the material to pack it within the wrapper. The window 36 disposed longitudinally up the side of the wrapper holder 12 may be employed to view the disposition of the wrapper and the smoking material filling the wrapper. Testing has shown that optimal packing and uniform compaction is most easily achieved using a kind of “pinch-and-pack” method, whereby the user places a small amount of smoking material (a “pinch”) in the wrapper, tamps the material lightly to pack it, then inserts another pinch, and repeats. This also enables a user to develop a feel for compaction so as to tailor a material burn rate during smoking according to taste. This entails tamping and packing the material after each incremental insertion of smoking material into the filling cone.

Looking now at FIGS. 4-5, once the desired degree of compaction is achieved, the packed wrapper is removed from the upper portion 46 of the wrapper 24 is twisted to make a complete closure to contain the smoking material and maintain the compaction. The wrapper holder is sized such that the user can push up on the filled and packed cigarette, exposing only an unfilled upper portion of the wrapper for completing the cigarette with the wrapper twist. A completed cigarette 50 is shown in FIG. 5.

In an embodiment, one-at-a-time manufacture is preferred. This is accomplished using the device of FIGS. 1-4, which is hardly larger than the finished cigarette, shown in FIG. 5. Thus, portability and transportability are inherent features, the device suitable for carrying on a key chain, key fob, bracelet chain, lanyard, or in a shirt or trousers' pocket.

On the other hand, while one-at-a-time manufacture is contemplated, in an embodiment, the placement of a plurality of conical wrapper holders 62 in a caddy or case 60, such as is shown in FIG. 6, provides means to fill and pack a number of cigarettes at one time. FIG. 7 shows such a package in a top plan view with the caps installed on the wrapper holders. Thus, in this view we are looking from above and down onto the capped upper ends of a number of conical wrapper holders. Removal of the caps would enable filling and tamping multiple cigarettes at one time. The same box can be used for display purposes for retailers of the inventive apparatus. As will be appreciated, for the purposes of making a number of cigarettes at one time, only one cap and tamper shaft combination are needed.

FIG. 8 shows such a device 60 with an access lid lifted to show how such a case might be employed for use and reuse to make entire packages of handmade cigarettes.

The inventive apparatus gives a user a significant advantage in the selection of smoking materials, rather than being stuck with the mediocre and chemical-laden commercial blends provided by major mass manufacturers.

The above disclosure is sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention, and provides the best mode of practicing the invention presently contemplated by the inventor. Various modifications, alternative constructions, changes and equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art and may be employed, as suitable, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Such changes might involve alternative materials, components, structural arrangements, sizes, shapes, forms, functions, operational features or the like. Therefore, the above description and illustrations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which will be defined by claims submitted in a non-provisional patent application claiming the benefit of the priority date of the instant application. 

What is claimed as invention is:
 1. Apparatus to form cigarettes manually, comprising: at least one hollow truncated conical wrapper holder having a top end and a bottom end and a conically shaped hollow interior tapering from said top end to said bottom end, and an opening disposed in each of said top end and said bottom end; an elongate tamper shaft having a tamper head on a lower end and sized to insert fully into said hollow interior of said at least one conical wrapper holder; and a cap coupled to a top end of said elongate tamper shaft.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cap includes a male neck portion, and said top end of said wrapper holder includes a female recess that accommodates and mates with said male neck portion.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said male neck is threaded and said female recess is threaded with complementary threads to mate with said male neck.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said female recess and said male neck are sized for a press fit connection.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said cap includes a throughhole for attachment to a chain or string.
 6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said tamper shaft extends downwardly from said male neck portion.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wrapper holder includes a longitudinally-oriented viewing window.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a case for holding a plurality of wrapper holders and at least one of said cap and one of said tamper shaft.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said case comprises a caddy for removable placement of a plurality of said wrapper holders in a generally vertical orientation.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said caddy includes a lid, the removal of which exposes the top ends of said plurality of wrapper holders.
 11. A method of manually forming a cigarette, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a one-at-a-time cigarette forming apparatus having at least one hollow truncated conical wrapper holder having a top end and a bottom end and a conically shaped hollow interior tapering from said top end to said bottom end, and an opening disposed in each of said top end and said bottom end; an elongate tamper shaft having a tamper head on a lower end and sized to insert fully into said hollow interior of said at least one conical wrapper holder; and a cap coupled to a top end of said elongate tamper shaft; (b) removing the cap and tamper shaft from the wrapper holder; (c) placing a pre-formed conical cigarette wrapper inside the conical wrapper holder such that the closed bottom end of the wrapper is inserted through the opening at the bottom end of the wrapper holder; (d) placing a quantity of smoking product in the open upper end of the conical cigarette wrapper so as to partially fill the wrapper; (e) inserting the tamper head into the upper end of the wrapper; (f) tamping the smoking material to pack it within the wrapper; (g) repeating steps (d) through (f) until a desired level of fill and compaction is achieved; (h) removing the packed cigarette wrapper from the wrapper holder; and (i) twisting the upper end of the cigarette to make a closure to contain the smoking material and maintain the compaction. 